PTFE / teflon (most non-stick pans) would like to learn everything about it

[Screech]

I started doing a little bit of reading about PTFE and the gases it releases when it breaks down. So far I've found the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytetrafluoroethylene#Safety and this page: The Dangers of Teflon Pans | The Center for Bird & Exotic Animal Medicine, Bothell WA

But no one really answers the questions in context, I just see "remove from house".

I'd assume a kitchen divided from the house would distribute harmful gases differently than a kitchen attached to a main room. What I'm really after is mitigating risks of things that are difficult to replace such as the oven.

I should add: I don't mind hearing all the details about the gas either such as density, what levels are considered dangerous, and how it is detected.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

I don't think ovens are coated with teflon. Its usually just pots and pans, non stick electric skillets, and portable non stick ovens like that new Ninja, and I wouldn't use oven cleaner either, as they can make dangerous fumes as well.

 

[Birdman666]

i don't think ovens are coated with teflon. Its usually just pots and pans, non stick electric skillets, and portable non stick ovens like that new ninja, and i wouldn't use oven cleaner either, as they can make dangerous fumes as well.

self cleaning ovens absolutely are - and if you use them, and the birds are around, they will die!!!

Never, never, never!!!

 

[Birdman666]

I'm gradually replacing my old pans. Switching to bird safe non-stick ceramic...

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

i don't think ovens are coated with teflon. Its usually just pots and pans, non stick electric skillets, and portable non stick ovens like that new ninja, and i wouldn't use oven cleaner either, as they can make dangerous fumes as well.

self cleaning ovens absolutely are - and if you use them, and the birds are around, they will die!!!

Never, never, never!!!

So self cleaning ovens are coated in Teflon??

I had no idea. Eeek!

 

[Echo]

i don't think ovens are coated with teflon. Its usually just pots and pans, non stick electric skillets, and portable non stick ovens like that new ninja, and i wouldn't use oven cleaner either, as they can make dangerous fumes as well.

self cleaning ovens absolutely are - and if you use them, and the birds are around, they will die!!!

Never, never, never!!!

So self cleaning ovens are coated in Teflon??

I had no idea. Eeek!

Yep! And at 900+ degrees that the self-cleaning feature uses, it is a deadly tool.

 

[Screech]

So now that we know that there is a threat in our house hold, we need to analyze the risk in better detail than just going with the "throw away" option. I say this because there are still other teflon coated products we may not be aware of.

I think we need to find out how to detect the bad gases and also get a quantity - (and 0 PPM is not going to work, because there will always be some around modern settlements of any size).

 

[GaryBV]

I'm not hijacking this thread, but while we're on the issue of threats to our birds, I only learned today that raw beans are poisonous to parrots. I had no idea, I see beans as 'seeds' and I'm always giving my birds both soaked (so they plump up) and sprouted seeds. I had bought yestereday an unseasoned soup mix from Bob's Red Mill, and I was going to soak some overnight for the birds, when I decided to look up parrots and beans and to my surprise, learned that raw beans are poisonous but they are fine when they are cooked! I'm literally shocked. So I spent the last 2 hours cooking different grains and beans for them, but I would never have known if something hadn't made me check.

I also did not know that self-cleaning ovens had teflon in them - that was a surprise so thank you very much for mentioning it because I do have a self-cleaner but have never yet used it to clean.

 

[Birdman666]

You have to get the birds out of the house if you are cleaning the oven, and use fans to air it out really well....

A LOT of people have learned this lesson the hard way.

With non-stick pans, as long as you don't burn them, and there is adequate ventilation, the birds should be okay. The rule in my house is that if you are cooking YOU DON'T walk away from a non-stick pan EVER!

Stuff happens.

You've heard of the movie "fatal attraction?"

This one is called "fatal distraction!!!" They literally fall over dead on the spot. It ruptures their air sacs from the inside and they drown in their own blood...

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! DON'T DO IT...

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

I hear Parrolets are extremely susceptible to teflon fume deaths as well.

We only use annodized aluminum and stainless steel cookware in our house, or enameled cast iron. I use a slow cooker, but it has a ceramic interior. Our oven doesn't have the self cleaning option, and even if it did, we probably wouldn't use it. I have fume free oven cleaner.

 

[Birdman666]

I've been gradually replacing mine with ceramic as well...

We finally have a viable non-stick alternative to teflon.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

I cook A LOT, and I make tons of homemade food, and teflon is just garbage. It peels and I think people should get rid of it, regardless of having a bird or not. It's not even healthy for humans.

 

[MonicaMc]

Please remember, it's not Teflong.... it's PTFE!!!

Just because a pan is non-stick does not mean it contains Teflon or PTFE.

Just because a pan is a "green pan" doesn't mean it's PTFE-Free.

Just because you have silicone bakeware (that's supposed to be "non-stick" by itself...) doesn't mean it doesn't have PTFE.



I think some instructions for using a self-cleaning oven is to set the self cleaning feature on and leave the house. Other manuals may suggest removing birds from the area/house and putting them in a well ventilated area. Generally speaking, it's believed that self cleaning ovens are safe as long as you don't use that feature. Saying that, I have heard that PTFE can give off fumes below 400° F and people do use ovens above 400°.


Other name brands that use PTFE include T-Fal, Silverstone, Flura, Excalibur, Supra, Xylon, Greblon, Resistal, Duracote, Autograph and Scanpan.

http://confluence.mickaboo.org/down....pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1290214119000




http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/25000-hazards-household-toxins.html




PTFE can be found in or on anything that heats up. Ovens, pans, bakeware, hair dryers, curling irons, toasters, toaster ovens, possibly even coffee makers, the heating element on dryers.... sadly, many things.


I thought several years ago that the production of PTFE was going to be banned in 2014... but now I'm seeing PFOA which doesn't seem to be nearly as dangerous as PTFE is - unless I am mistaken about it.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

I would probably look for cookware that actually states "PTFE, PFOA free," which it usually does if its safe.

 

[MonicaMc]

Forgot to mention.... was looking in the Bereavement section of the forum. Seems quite a few birds have died on Thanksgiving or shortly after it.


Reasons were either not given or unknown... and I find this really sad.


Also makes me wonder how many other birds have died a pointless death around this holiday.... not to mention we have Christmas coming up, which is even worse.

 

[MrBackpack]

Good thing that I only had one non-stick pan from college and we got some nice stainless from our wedding.

Though I only use a well seasoned cast-iron skillet for my cooking